Staff Reporter
Punjab Health Minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid on Thursday said that the Punjab government is striving hard to vaccinate at least 70 percent of the population by December of this year.
“The government is ready to provide free at home vaccination service and soon about 40 percent population of Lahore will be vaccinated.”
Health Minister Yasmin Rashid stated this at the inauguration Mobile Vaccination Units under the “Lahore Gets Vaccinated Campaign” with Commissioner Lahore Capt (Retd) Usman Younis here on Thursday.
Dr Yasmin also reviewed arrangements for the vaccination campaign and appreciated the team as well.
While talking to media persons on the occasion, Dr Yasmin stressed that only vaccine has the ability to stop the disease to a great extent and only jabs can save lives.
She further revealed that out of all coronavirus patients, 88 percent are unvaccinated while only 12 percent have received the dose.
The Health Minister said, “The mobile vaccination units under the ‘Lahore Gets Vaccinated campaign’ is a great step towards achieving the vaccination targets in Punjab. Corona Pandemic has hit the entire world and has affected our ways of life.
There is compelling evidence from around the world that mass vaccination is hugely effective in control of Pandemic.
Most of new hospital admissions are from the unvaccinated people. In fact among all hospitalized cases, 88% people were not vaccinated. Among the remaining 12 %, as many as 7% had received one dose and 5% had received two doses of vaccine.
Corona vaccine is greatly effective in preventing new infections and is greatly effective in stopping the worsening of disease to critically ill category. Among vaccinated people the ratio of getting critically ill is negligible.
In the Intensive Care Units, 95 % people are from the unvaccinated category. Just a few days earlier, 36 out of 37 patients on ventilators were unvaccinated.
Corona vaccination is going to be main factor in controlling the Pandemic. Today Commissioner Lahore has started 11 mobile vaccination units in five towns of the city in partnership with PSO and a welfare organization HANDS.
This initiative shall help us vaccinate people who were not being able to reach vaccination centres. Some units are being set up at petrol pumps.
We have no shortage of vaccine. In the last 24 hours, more than 63,000 citizens were vaccinated in Lahore. This step will be hugely beneficial for us in achievement of our vaccination targets.
Very soon we will be able to vaccinate more than 40% population of Punjab. I urge all to get vaccinated for safety of your elders and children.
The government is providing this facility completely free of cost. Commissioner Lahore Capt (Retd) Usman Younis has already asked Lahorites to get vaccinated before 30th August.
The vaccination capacity is being enhanced on daily basis. We hugely appreciate all partners who played key role in vaccination initiative.
By first of September, the decision on vaccination of children over 15years of age will be announced.
Gradually, age bracket will be lowered, first from 18 to 17, then 17 to 16 and then 16 to 15 years age category.”
